This is one very popular topic and one that I have studied for many years. Yes, I have personally tried it and as I write this article, I can’t help but smile proudly as I glance over my laptop and see my son, jumping up and down and twirling around doing his aeroplane dance. As with all medical treatment or advice, there are no guarantees but these tips I am about to explain do have some some scientific basis. I will try to explain the theory behind it and hopefully by the time you finish reading this article you will have a bright, hopeful smile , one which I’ve seen many times on the faces of my patients as they walk out of my consultation room. Whether it works or not, it is a different matter. At the very least, they go home with a smile on their face and a sense of hope in their hearts. And it’s moments like this that I cherish and treasure the most as a general practitioner.

What determines the sex of the baby is the sperm that succeeds in fertilizing the egg/ovum. The egg contains an X chromosome from the mother and the sperm may contain either an X chromosome or a Y chromosome from the father. If an X sperm reaches the egg first and fertilizes it, then we will get a girl. If a Y sperm wins the race instead and reaches the egg first and fertilizes it, then we get a boy. In order to conceive a boy, we have to make sure that we fix the race so that the Y sperm will have a higher chance of winning.

As compared to the X sperm, the Y sperm is smaller, lighter and swims a lot faster, however it doesn’t last as long especially in acidic and harsh conditions. Meanwhile the X sperm is not only larger and heavier, it swims a lot slower but it can last longer especially in an acidic environment.

Because the Y sperm swims really fast, we can use this to our advantage. We should time the intercourse on the day of ovulation and refrain from having it 2-4 days prior to ovulation. If intercourse is done on the day of ovulation, then when the sperm is finally released into the vagina, the Y sperm will swim faster and will be the first to reach the egg that’s already ready and waiting to be fertilized. Instead, if we were to have intercourse 2-4 days before ovulation, then the X sperm which moves really slow will reach the egg, whereas the Y sperm would have died off much earlier.

The depth of penetration is another factor that we need to consider. The deeper the penetration, the nearer the sperm is deposited to the cervical opening, the shorter the distance, the higher the chances of the Y sperm winning the race. A shallow penetration will however favour the slow swimming, yet resilient X sperm.

The Y sperm doesn’t last long in an acidic environment and thrives in a more alkaline environment. One way to increase alkalinity is by vaginal douching. Douching with an alkaline fluid such as a mixture of water and bicarbonate of soda 30 minutes before intercourse will therefore increase our chances of conceiving a boy.

Consuming a more alkaline diet is also recommended, this includes vegetables such as alfalfa, spirulina, brocolli, spinach, cabbage, celery, cucumber, cauliflower, eggplant, garlic, onion, salad, mushroom, sweet potato, pumpkin and tomato. It also includes fruits such as apple, pear, banana, dates, raisins, dried fig, watermelon, honeydew, fresh coconut, strawberry, almond, chestnut and citrus fruits. Curry powder, cinnamon, ginger, sea salt, herbs, mineral water, fruit and vegetable juice are also alkaline. Even though the citrus fruits may taste sour but they have an alkalinizing effect on the body.

Acidic foods should be consumed less, this includes oat, corn, rice, spaghetti, macaroni, olive, plum, prune, beans such as soy, lentils, red beans, dairy products such as butter, cheese, ice-cream, peanut butter, cashew nut, walnut, red meat, sardines, coffee and carbonated drinks like coca-cola. You don’t have to consume food from just the alkaline group, just make sure that you consume more alkaline food than you do the acidic ones. On a final note, I wish you all the best, good luck and have lots of fun trying.